Follow-up filing system



S. W. WICKEE. FOLLOW-UP FILING SYSTEM. APPLICATION HLED luLYlI. m9.

Patented June 13, 1922.'

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S. W. MCKEE.

FOLLOW-UP FILING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED IULYII, 1919.

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' APPLICATION FILED .IULYIL 1919. 194199394 v Patented June I3, i922.

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STILLIMAN W. MC1/IEE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALFORNIA..

FOLLOltTUP :FILING SYSTEM.

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Application filed July 17,

To all whom t may concern.

Be it known that l, STILLMAN XV. li/lolnr., a citizen of the United States, residing` at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Follow-Up Filing System, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a tiling system of a type in which .letters and other mattei' which are to receive attention at some definite future date may be tiled under the date on which they are to receive attention, and an object of the invention, in the main, is to provide for such tiling and to also niahe provision whereby certain letters or other papers filed under any particular date, for referring to on said date, may be found with maximum ease at any time previous to said date.

Under a system. employed at the present time in filing correspondence and other matter, to whiclrit is desired to refer on a presrribed date, the letters are filed between alphabetical guides in accordance with the order of the follow-up dates on which it is desired to refer to the letters. lil/Then the letters are thus tiled, the clerk is put to considerable trouble and inconvenience in placing,l the letters in the iile and extracting them therefrom, for, it is obvious, that in either event the clerk must hunt through the letters in the alphabetic tiles and loolr at the follow-up dates thereon in order to locate the proper places for insertion of the letter being' lilcd and for abstraction of a letter f rom thc tile. rllhis operation requires the clerk to tilt his head to one side so as to 'readily read the follow-up date on the letter-head.

Another follow-upplan now in use is to use month guides, (flan. to Dec.) with one set of l to 3l (days of month guides) back of each month guide. All papers needing); attention on, for example, J an. 15th would be filed back of J an. guide and then back of guide :,tlrl. lt is impossible to find a letter alphabetically under this plan at any time.

An object of this invention is to overcome the above mentioned difficulties in filing letters and other papers in and extracting` them from the tile on the date under which they are tiled, and also extracting, and returning the papers on any day previous to the date under which thev are tiled.

Another object is t minimize the time Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une i3, i922.

191e. serial No. 311,585.

requisite to ile away correspondence and other papers, which are to be referred to upon a certain date, and requisite to extract certain desired correspondence or other papers when it is desired to refer to them previous to the date under which they are tiled. l

Another object is to provide a filing system which will facilitate removal or entraction of all of the letters or other papers wanted yon a given date, without liability of overlooking any of said letters or papers.

Another object is to indicate by* a signal on the subguide when a paper is 'positioned adjacent to said subguide.

i Other objects and advantages will appear in the subjoined detailed description.

The accompanying' drawings illust 1ate the invention: i i' Figure l is a perspective view of a tilingV system constructed in accordance with the provisions of this invention, some of the guides being omitted and a portion of the holder beingbroken away to contract the view.

Fig'. 2 is a fragmental longitudinal section ofthe filing system shown in Fig'. l, 'the plane of section being' axially of one set of the sight openings in the subguides.

3 is an elevation of one of the subguidesl a fragment of a letter also being' shown in tiling position relative to the subguide with a main ,guide behind said letter.

Fig. (i is a modified form of subpguide such, for example, as is useful in card Yfiling systems, a card being shown in `tiling position relative to the subguide.

l"` 5 an elevation of another modified form of subgruide, a fragment of a letter also being' shown in tiling position relative to said subguide with a. main guide behind said letter. 4

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional elevation on line indicated by :dL-m, Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a plan section on line indicated by :v7- m7, Fig. 6.

Fig'. 8 is a rear elevation of the shiftable tab in Figs. and 6.

Fig. 9 is a fragmental perspective view of a modified form of the tiling system.

There is provided a suitable holder of any desired construction, said holder, in this instance, being` in the form of a drawer comprising side members l, a baci; member 2, a. front member 3 and a bottom member 4. any other suitable form of holder may be characters on the main guides and the alphabetical index characters on the subguides. The foregoing description of the operation also makes clear sulistanti ally how 'the system is operated when the main guides are dated and the subguides are lettered, for the papers will be filed in accordance with the dates on which they are to receive attention and then alphabetically according to the senders or addressees names. However, it is to be noted. that, with the dated main guides and lettered subguides, the papers which are to be given attention on any given date can all be extracted together from the iile in one operation, since all the operator need do is to pull forwardly the main guide having the given date thereon thus exposing in the space 10 the letterheads of all of the letters and other papers which are to be extracted from the iile. The clerk will grasp the exposed ends of all of the papers and draw them with a single motion from between the arent subguides.

rfhe foregoing described construction may be used independently of other features included in the invention and now to be described. The subguides 8 and 38 are provided with one or more sight openings 34 and, preferably, the sight openings in each succeeding subguide beginning at the front of the holder will be at a slightly lower level than the sight openings in the immediately preceding subguide so that when the subguides are pushed away from the front member 3 and are aslant upwardly and rearwardly the clerk can readily look through the sight openings to ascertain whether or not there are any papers remaining between the subguides after he has grasped and removed the larger papers under any given date as above described. Preferably at least two sight openings are provided in the lower portion of each of the subguides and are so spaced relative to one another and to the end edges of the subguides that relatively small memorandum papers t and the like, when. placed between two adjacent subgnides, 'will be exposed to view through at least one of the sight openings. It may be advisable, in some installations of the system, to make provision for raising and lowering of the tabs,`and in such instances the movable tabs constitute signals to indicate where the letters and other pa-v pers are tiled in the holder. The movable tabs may be variously constructed and mounted and in the instance shown in Figs. 5 to 8 of the drawings the tab and its mounting are constructed as follows: rEhe tab 39 is substantially U-shaped and its legs 20, 20 are shift-ably mounted within a clip 2l which is fastened by a rivet 22 or its equivalent to the body of the subguide. The tab 39 works through a slot 23 in the upper edge of the clip 2l which clip is also U-shaped so as to embrace the body of the subguide. ln order to prevent lateral shifting of the lower portion of the tab, o-ne or more straps 24 may be pressed inwardly from the leg 25 of the clip' 2l so as to form slots 26 through which the leg 20 of the clip passes. rlhe lower end of the legl 20 is preferably bent inwardly to form an abutment 27 adapted to engage the lower edge of the lower-most strap 24 when the tab is moved upwardly, so as to limit upward movement of the tab. The leg 2O is provided with a transverse slot 28 adapted to be engaged by a tongue 29 formed by one of the longitudinal edges of the slot 23. The slot 2S is so positioned as to be engaged by the tongue 29 when the tab is in the raised or indicating position shown in Fig. e. llVhen it is desired to push the tab 39 into non-indicating position, the operator will produce sufficient pressure forwardly against the leg 20 to retract said leg from engagement with the tongue 29 and he will then press downwardly on the tab, Downward movement of the tab is limited by a shoulder or stop 3() on the leg 20 adapted to engage the longitudinal edge 3l of the slot 23. The tab 39 may be latched in non-indicating position and for this purpose the leg 2O is provided with a recess or notch 32 adapted to be engaged by the tongue 29 when the tab is pushed downwardly to non-indicating position. The tab 39 may be provided with an upwardly and rearwardly slanting face 33 upon which the index character 9 is stamped or otherwise marked. In this form of the invention the main guides are the same as described above and shown in Fig. l. Y

To use the signal above described, when the clerk desires to file a paper which is to be referred to on a later date, for example, on Y the 15th of the month, he will place the pa.- vper adjacent the subguide provided with a shiftable tab bearing the date l5 and he will move the tab into elevated position.

Assuming that other papers are also placed l' in the file adjacent other subguides having shiftable tabs bearing the same date, when the 15th of the month arrives the clerk refers to the tile and notes the elevated tabs bearing the date 15, regardless of which alphabetical guides the papers are filed after, and abstracts the papers that are adjacent the subguides bearing the date 15. Time is conserved in employing the signal because it is probable that the papers to be referred to on a certain future date are not adjacent all subguides bearing the date 15, it being understood that there is a series of dated subguides after each lettered main guide the same as described above for the form of the invention shown in Fig. l. If the papers are to be returned to the file under the same date as before, the shiftable tabs will be allowed to remain in their elevated positions, thus indicating to the clerk where the papers belong Awhen he is retiling them, but it the papers are to be w ithheldit rom the lil'e the corresponding tabs will be depressed.

Ulf course, instead ot lettering the main guides and dating the shittable subguides, the order may be reversed and the main guides may be dated and the shittable sul guides lettered. Then, it the clerk desires to tile a letter from Brown et Son, under a future date, he will place the letter adjacent the suhguide lettered B behind the main guide bearing the date whereon the letter is to be referred to, and he will pull up the shittable tab bea-ring the letter 13.

The subguides 8, 37 and BSare shown in the drawings in the term oit single sheets but it .is understood that, it' desired, the subguides may be in the torna ot folders, containers or envelopes ot any description. lt is to be noted that it the sight openings 311 were all at the same level the clerk could not loolr over the iront ot the holder and through the openings from 'trent to rear of each series ot subguides and therelore it is quite important that the hole termed by the combined sight openings ot' each series be aslant upwardly and toiiwardly so that the hole can he seen throughout its entire length.

lt the main guide be white 0r whitish, it may be diihcult for the clerlr to readily see whether or not there are any small papers between the subguides ot any'given series, since in lookingthrough the sight openings 34 he may mistake the main guide 'tor a paper or a paper for the main guide, and therefore I prefer to color the main guides which are exposed to view through the sight openings. F or example, the main guides may be wholly or partly colored ree as indicated at t1 in Figs. 3 and 5.

New referring more particularly to Fig. 9, another' way ot employing the movable tabs is to place a series of them on each of the main guides as indicated at 35, said tabs being constructed identically with the tabs shown in Fig. 5. ln each series here shown are tabsprovided with the odd inembers from l to 31 as indicated at 36, only alternate days ot the month being; represented in this particular instance, though it is understood that, it desired, one tab may be provided for each day ot the month.

The sub-guides, indicated at 4t@ in Fie, 9, are similar to the subguides 8 in Figs. l to 3, the only diii'erence being'` that the tabs, on which the index characters appear, are integral with the body ot the subguides and are tormed by notching the upper margins of the subguides so as to leave the tab portion projecting` above that portion ot the subguide on the right ot the tab.

ln practice, the form ot the invention shown in Fig. 9 operates the same as described above tor the form shown in Fig. l excepting` that, when the letter or other paper is being tiled, the tab on the appropriate main guide, corresponding nearest in .number with the 'follow-up date on the letter is elevated to indicate that the letter tiled adjacent the subguide ninnbered to most nearly correspond with the follow-up date ot the letter is 'o be given attention on or near the date number appear-ing` on the elevated tab.

lit the subguides 4l() are provided with date numbers, the tabs will also be provided with date numbers as shown in Fig. 9, but it isunderstood that, it the main Laides are provided with date numbers and the subguides with letters, tl e tabs 35 will be provided with letters to correspond with the letters on the subguides.

lVhether the subguides and tabs are numbered or lettered, it is understood that the numbers or letters on the tabs will Jo correspond with those, respectively, in alliieinent longitudinally et 'the holder on the subguides.

l claim:

l. In a Yfollow-up tiling; system, a holder, and guides mounted in the holder, some ot the guides being provided with letter index characters and others with numbers representing` days et.' the month and the alphabetical and number indexes being' so related C that a paper bearing` an iden'ti'tying` inscription and follow-up date may be tiled in the holder in accordance with its alphabetical order and follow-up date, the upper portions ot some ot the jguides being; substantially narrower than the inside width of the holder so that a space is termed at one side the holder when the narrower guides are assembled in the holder so that the inscrip- 'tion on the letter will be exposed to view in said space.

Q. in a follow-up tiling); system, a holder, and series ot guides mounted in the holder, some o't the `guides beingv provided with letter index characters and others with numbers representin .c,l days oi the month and the alphabetical and number indexes being` so related that paper l'axairingl an identiilying inscription and follow-up date may be 'tiled in the holder in accordance with its alphabeti zal order and follow-up date, there being` sight openings in some ot the guides and the sight opening in each succeeding- `ejuide of' a I series beginning at the front of the series being slightly lower than the opening in the next forward guide oit said series.

3. ln follow-up ling system, a holder, and series ot guides mounted in the holder, some ot the guides being1 provided with letter indescharacters and others with numbers representing` days ot the month and the alphabetical and number indexes being so related that a paper bearing` an identifying,i inscription and Jiollow-Up date ray be tiled in the holder in accordance with its alphabetieal order and follow-up date, there being sight openings in some of the guides and others of the guides being` colored at the portions exposed to vien7 through the sight openings.

t. ln a follow-up filing system, a holder, and series of guides mounted in the holder, the guides of one series having Colored portions and the guides of the other series having sight openings through which said Colored portions are exposed to View.

5. In a follow-up filing system, a holder, a series of main guides, and a series of subguides behind each main guide, the main guides havingdifferent index characters of one nota-tion and the subguides of each series having' different index characters oit another notation, the upper portions of some of the Aguides being substantially narrower than the inside Width et the holder so that a space is formed at one side of the holder when the narrower guides are assembled.

6. ln a follow-up filing` system, a holder, guides mounted in the holder, some of the guides being provided With alphabetical index Characters and others With index numbers representing days of the month, and the alphabetical and number indexes being so related that a paper bearing an identifying inscription and follow-up date may be filed in the holder in accordance With its alphabetical order and follow-up date, and movable tabs mounted on certain of the guides and bearing index characters corresponding With the index Characters on the remaining `guides.

7. ln a follow-up filing system, a holder, a series of main guides, a series of subguides behind each main guide, the main guides bearing' certain index Characters and the subguides bearing different index Characters from those on the main guides, and movable tabs on the main guides bearing index characters Corresponding to the index characters on the subguides.

Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 10th day of July 1919.

STILLMAN lN. MCKEE.

Witnesses:

GEORGE H. HILES, L. BELLE WEAVER. 

